The elevator was almost done. As much as I wanted slow down construction and keep my job, I know my efficiency mods would never let that happen. At almost 95% completion, the AsterCorp’s elevator reached far out of Manta, straight to the stars. I’m only working on some small welding jobs and my unemployment should be nearing the end of the month.
Gripping the metal holds on the sides of the elevator, I began my descent from the mid-way point of the elevator. Even with the suits AsterCorp was forced to give us now, the journey was fairly risky. I had been making this trip for years and it still made me tense up a bit. However, I was one of the lucky ones, I had never seen anyone fall. It was truly a feat. We had a couple people fall each week and I never witnessed even one in my years working on the elevator.
Misplacing my grip, my breath hitched and the suit emitted a warning sound, to urge more caution. I worked to steady my breathing and turn around, looking at the sight that gave me the most comfort. I could see the light blue cascade of the ocean leading to the cargo bay, and the gray drab of the run-down housing. Various transportation systems gleamed through the monotone colors, producing quick electric blips throughout the departure zone. From up here you could see The Gridlock, almost like a poorer version of the Great Wall of China. The people down there scurried around like ants. It was hard to see from this distance, but they were probably forming another protest. I could rarely attend one with my regular work hours, but those were my people. These people are the lifeblood of Manta locals and the lower class that have worked continuously to fight for basic rights and a decent wage. Even with the job that I have now, the only food I could get was nutrient cubes.
The further down I reached, the more clouded my mind became. I had some worries about my friends. The protests were always dangerous, but today was especially risky. Tavena Prince was working to hold another corporate alliance meeting and Karsova Shipyards, along with AsterCorp and Biotechin wanted it to go as smoothly as possible. I had warned everyone of the coming changes, but that only led to more distress. I knew this woul—My hand slipped again, causing my body to lay flat against the elevator. My suit dinged again, informing me that the survival rate at this height was only 27%.
Taking a deep breath, I worked to clear my mind. I wiggled my toes, returning feeling to the numb tips of my feet. I was off today. All of these thoughts would be my absolute downfall. I hummed a soft tune under my breath off of some commercial. Slowly, I turned myself around to look at the view once more. The image was sharper now and building that were mere blobs now became recognizable. I could see signs and people peacefully protesting in between The Gridlock and various corporate buildings. Off in the distance a shimmer caught my eye. Almost unrecognizable, the black shine of armor began to accumulate off in the distance. Outside Hergenrader Weapons, there appeared to be over 30 people dressed in riot armor that spread outside the building. Some others appeared to be with them, but from this distance it was difficult to tell. Those not wearing armor could be civilians or even specialized robots.
The thought of robots on the scene filled my body with terror. I whipped my body around and started descending faster down the elevator. Concentrating on each peg, I raced down. Noises became louder the closer I came to the ground. I could hear a mass amount of voices in the distance, chanting some kind of rhyme in unison. Before long I could hear the screams. My body worked double-time, finally reaching the ground. Tossing aside my bulky helmet, I sprinted in the direction of the loudest noises. Smoke rose in the air above The Gridlock and the fiery embers could be smelled blocks away.
My feet pounded the pavement, until I finally reached the mist of the chaos. Higher level soliders had been sent from Hergenrader Weapons. Their upper level riot gear and bionic limbs showcased their rank as primary riot response teams. Half of the protest still sat motionless on the dirt floor, chanting about the inequality of wealth and destruction the corporations have brought to Manta. Many others were being taken.
We never saw anyone again after they had been taken. Most people assumed you were questioned and then killed. Personally, I think they could do much worse than the mercy of death.
I snuck around the back of the mess finding an empty alleyway to hide. I peeked my head around the corner, overwhelmed by the voices ringing in my ears and the mechanical threats of the soldiers. An arm gripped around my waist, pulling me back from the view. My foot made contact with a knee as a worked to wriggled out of the grasp. “Kara stop it’s me,” a voice cried out.
A small click of a button could be softly heard under the uproar. In a blink of an eye, my two neighbors suddenly appeared before me. Both appeared obviously disheveled and frightened. Their already rumpled clothes were now torn and speckled with tiny stains of blood.
“We stole some stealth mods from the weapons stockroom last week. They only work in front of the guards, not the bots. As soon as Hergenrader guys got here we ran for it. They’ve taken Joyce, Abid, and Leo since we’ve been standing here.”
“Where’s the blood from?”
“They found Sam’s cats and shot them as some kind of warn—“
Shots rang out among the crowd. We darted back to the now silent crowd. Every solider lay dead on the ground. The robots turned around with still smoking guns. They inched forward as a group, uniformly heading back to the armory, not uttering a single sound.
Gripping the metal holds on the sides of the elevator, I began my descent from the mid-way point of the elevator. Even with the suits AsterCorp was forced to give us now, the journey was fairly risky. I had been making this trip for years and it still made me tense up a bit. However, I was one of the lucky ones, I had never seen anyone fall. It was truly a feat. We had a couple people fall each week and I never witnessed even one in my years working on the elevator.
Misplacing my grip, my breath hitched and the suit emitted a warning sound, to urge more caution. I worked to steady my breathing and turn around, looking at the sight that gave me the most comfort. I could see the light blue cascade of the ocean leading to the cargo bay, and the gray drab of the run-down housing. Various transportation systems gleamed through the monotone colors, producing quick electric blips throughout the departure zone. From up here you could see The Gridlock, almost like a poorer version of the Great Wall of China. The people down there scurried around like ants. It was hard to see from this distance, but they were probably forming another protest. I could rarely attend one with my regular work hours, but those were my people. These people are the lifeblood of Manta locals and the lower class that have worked continuously to fight for basic rights and a decent wage. Even with the job that I have now, the only food I could get was nutrient cubes.
The further down I reached, the more clouded my mind became. I had some worries about my friends. The protests were always dangerous, but today was especially risky. Tavena Prince was working to hold another corporate alliance meeting and Karsova Shipyards, along with AsterCorp and Biotechin wanted it to go as smoothly as possible. I had warned everyone of the coming changes, but that only led to more distress. I knew this woul—My hand slipped again, causing my body to lay flat against the elevator. My suit dinged again, informing me that the survival rate at this height was only 27%.
Taking a deep breath, I worked to clear my mind. I wiggled my toes, returning feeling to the numb tips of my feet. I was off today. All of these thoughts would be my absolute downfall. I hummed a soft tune under my breath off of some commercial. Slowly, I turned myself around to look at the view once more. The image was sharper now and building that were mere blobs now became recognizable. I could see signs and people peacefully protesting in between The Gridlock and various corporate buildings. Off in the distance a shimmer caught my eye. Almost unrecognizable, the black shine of armor began to accumulate off in the distance. Outside Hergenrader Weapons, there appeared to be over 30 people dressed in riot armor that spread outside the building. Some others appeared to be with them, but from this distance it was difficult to tell. Those not wearing armor could be civilians or even specialized robots.
The thought of robots on the scene filled my body with terror. I whipped my body around and started descending faster down the elevator. Concentrating on each peg, I raced down. Noises became louder the closer I came to the ground. I could hear a mass amount of voices in the distance, chanting some kind of rhyme in unison. Before long I could hear the screams.
My body worked double-time, finally reaching the ground. Tossing aside my bulky helmet, I sprinted in the direction of the loudest noises. Smoke rose in the air above The Gridlock and the fiery embers could be smelled blocks away.
My feet pounded the pavement, until I finally reached the mist of the chaos. Higher level soliders had been sent from Hergenrader Weapons. Their upper level riot gear and bionic limbs showcased their rank as primary riot response teams. Half of the protest still sat motionless on the dirt floor, chanting about the inequality of wealth and destruction the corporations have brought to Manta. Many others were being taken.
We never saw anyone again after they had been taken. Most people assumed you were questioned and then killed. Personally, I think they could do much worse than the mercy of death.
I snuck around the back of the mess finding an empty alleyway to hide. I peeked my head around the corner, overwhelmed by the voices ringing in my ears and the mechanical threats of the soldiers. An arm gripped around my waist, pulling me back from the view. My foot made contact with a knee as a worked to wriggled out of the grasp. “Kara stop it’s me,” a voice cried out.
A small click of a button could be softly heard under the uproar. In a blink of an eye, my two neighbors suddenly appeared before me. Both appeared obviously disheveled and frightened. Their already rumpled clothes were now torn and speckled with tiny stains of blood.
“We stole some stealth mods from the weapons stockroom last week. They only work in front of the guards, not the bots. As soon as Hergenrader guys got here we ran for it. They’ve taken Joyce, Abid, and Leo since we’ve been standing here.”
“Where’s the blood from?”
“They found Sam’s cats and shot them as some kind of warn—“
Shots rang out among the crowd. We darted back to the now silent crowd. Every solider lay dead on the ground. The robots turned around with still smoking guns. They inched forward as a group, uniformly heading back to the armory, not uttering a single sound.